Burning
by musickeeper94
Summary: Korra has always been able to withstand the heat. Firebending comes easy to her, and she loves to feel the fire's warmth. However, can she stand the heat that burns inside her when firebending with one of her best friends? Rated T just to be safe. Finished!
1. Burning

This is my first fanfiction, so please enjoy!

I do not own Avatar or Legend of Korra

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><p>Burning<p>

I was on fire. What started out as a quick earthbending lesson quickly turned into an entertaining battle between me and one of my best friends, and the temperature of the room seemed to be increasing drastically. Or perhaps it was me, but either way, I was beginning to break a sweat. My opponent smiled, his green eyes sparkling in the light of the gym. It wasn't that I was tired, but rather I could feel my body temperature heating rapidly. I wished for water, but ignored the longing. He sent a disk towards my head, which I defended easily with a kick. The disk soared past his head and crashed into the wall. He smiled again and turned his head to see the rubble of earth the disk created upon smashing into the barrier. My mouth echoed his as I took advantage of his lapse of concentration. I brought my right foot down hard on the ground to bring up a disk and bended it toward him. His smile vanished as he quickly tried to block the attack. His arm didn't come up quick enough as the disk collided into his stomach, causing him to fall backwards. I crossed my arms in victory.

"Not bad, huh? Just because I'm not a master at probending yet doesn't mean I can't kick your butt!" I teased.

Bolin stood up with a small grin. "All right, all right, I believe you. And not bad! Although, if we were in the arena, I would have won."

My eyes twitched as I retorted, "Don't even go there!" My eyes danced around the gym until they found a figure hidden in the corner, leaning against the wall. Of course he was there watching me. As soon as my eyes latched onto his I once again felt my temperature rise. A different heat began to consume me. My cool, blue eyes could not extinguish the flames in his golden ones. But I had to keep my composure. "Hey Mako! Not bad, am I right?"

I could tell he was trying not to smile. "I thought it was alright," he responded, pushing himself off the wall.

"What do you mean 'alright'? I totally beat him!" I challenged. He would be the one to try to put me down, something I have noticed since we met. However, I knew secretly he was impressed.

"Hey!" Bolin exclaimed. I looked over and saw he was at the door. "Eh, forget it. Korra, Mako, I'm heading to bed. Coming Mako?"

"In a moment," Mako answered while stepping out of the corner and walking closer to me. Once again the temperature heated up and I could feel my heart beating faster. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with waterbending to try to cool me off, but it didn't do any good. The sound of the door closing woke me up from my heat terror to find Mako just a couple of steps in front of me.

"Oh, do you think you can do better?" I taunted while trying to prevent the fire in me from reaching my cheeks.

"Actually, yes I do," he responded, a smile beginning to tug at the corners of his mouth. He then formed a fighting stance. I mirrored his move and waited. He made the first move.

It was an inferno. The flames we created danced around us as we charged our attacks toward each other, and I found myself hotter than ever. He swung his leg, creating bright flames that I challenged with two beams of fire from my fists. On and on we danced, the temperature of the room rising constantly. Firebending came naturally to me, and I was used to the heat the fire created. However, the warmth inside me could challenge the sun. My heart pounded faster as the glorious flames surrounded us. I caught sight of his eyes and saw how the flames reflected in his irises. For a moment I was distracted by how the red shined in the gold, each ember reflecting in the light.

Then I really was on fire. The blast knocked me off my feet before I could register the next attack. As my back made contact with the ground I tried to shoot another blast from my foot, but Mako had knelt down to pin my legs down with his knees. He grabbed my arms and held them over my head, bringing his face just inches from mine.

"I win," he smirked. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks as I could feel his breath on my face. The warmth filled my body as we both realized the positions we were in. He pushed himself up, his smile turning into a frown. He took a step back and turned towards the door.

"Mako, wait!" I quickly stood up and tried to follow him, but when he turned his head and bore his amber eyes into mine, I stood my ground. "Thanks for the battle," I said. I lowered my gaze, for I could not bring myself to look him in the eye. I felt strange, uncomfortable, and I couldn't explain why. The only thing I could think of blaming was the heat.

"No, thank _you_," he answered before stepping out the door. I brought my hand to my forehead and took a deep breath.

The fire had left the room, but I was still burning.

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><p>I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!<p> 


	2. Warmth

And I am back! So I decided to continue this story as just a few shots in the life of Makorra. This chapter was typed up at nearly two in the morning, and I think my writing reflects that sadly. But I hope y'all enjoy it nevertheless! This takes place after the finale.

I do not own Avatar or The Legend of Korra

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><p>Warmth<p>

It felt so good to be home. I stood outside letting the frigid air plant kisses on my cheeks. I smiled, letting myself be consumed by the cold's ever welcoming warmth. The air sang in a frigid tone that made my heart beat faster, and I had the sudden ambition to run, to free myself from this standing position. Before I knew it, my sense of comfort was interrupted by an icy patch of snow hitting me on the right side of the face.

I snapped out of my daze fast enough to turn around and use waterbending to freeze the feet of my attacker. I heard a small yelp, and smiled out of both amusement and of annoyance. "That was not funny Bolin!" I scolded, placing my hands on my hips, yet I could tell from his expression that the smile on my face did not make me look convincing.

"I wasn't going to do anything, but there is snow everywhere and you were a good target! So why waste the opportunity?" He tried to move, but the ice encompassing him made it impossible, and he quickly gave up.

I shook my head. "Why don't you ask Ikki or Meelo to play with you? I don't really feel like having a snowball fight at the moment," I said as I unfroze his feet. "Maybe some other time."

He kicked his legs around to get the feeling back in his toes while saying, "Suit yourself, but you will be missing out!" He then walked back towards the hut, leaving me alone in the cold.

Alone wasn't enough, however, and I began to jog away to my favorite cliff. I sat down and let my feet dangle, while once again paying close attention to the feel of every snowflake that landed on me. A cloud had begun to block a section of the sun, causing a light reflection to appear on the ocean. So beautiful the world was when at peace, and I could think of nothing better than enjoying the view in front of me. Soon, however, the sound of footsteps woke me out of my peaceful trance, and I turned around to see who the disturbance was.

Of course it was him, dressed in a blue parka to shield him from the low temperature, and the cold annoyance began to melt in my heart. The heat flooded through me, reaching from my heart all the way down to my toes, and I felt the corners of my lips rise into a smile. His mouth mirrored mine, and he came closer to sit next to me.

"My brother said you won't participate in his snowball fight," Mako said, his tone somewhere between amused and confused. "From what I saw, the kids are practically killing him. Asami joined him, but I don't think even the four of us together could beat them." He chuckled, then lifted his hand to dust the snow off my hair, but I stopped him.

"Hey, I like the snow," I responded. "And I just want to relax. I forgot how much I like the cold. It makes me feel warm."

He turned to look at me, his face perplexed. "Wait, the cold makes you warm? Cause I will let you know that I am pretty cold."

I chuckled, then said, "Something like that. And how can you be cold? You are a firebender!"

"Eh, still cold." He shivered. "How does the cold make you warm?" he asked. I took his hand and held it to my face.

"I let the flakes be my memories," I answered, moving his hand so that it touched the snow we sat on.

"Memories?"

I nodded. "Maybe it's because I grew up here that it matters, but every time I feel a snowflake hit my face, I think if a happy memory." I shrugged. "Why don't you give it a try?"

"Okay," he answered while closing his eyes. I watched as a flew flakes touch his face, two on his cheeks and one on his forehead. He smiled softly, squeezing my hand.

"So that is three snowflakes, three memories. What did you think of?" I asked.

"Well," he began, "the first was when I was little, maybe 5. I was watching my parents play with my brother. He was walking around when he suddenly kicked a rock. It went flying so far, and we all realized he was an earthbender. The look on my parents face was so beautiful, so happy."

"That is so nice," I commented. "What are the other two?"

"The second is when my family went to the park for a picnic. It was there that my dad gave me his scarf. It happened just a couple of months before they were killed. The sky was blue, a cold breeze was blowing, and everything was perfect. We ate sandwiches and played in the grass."

I was almost speechless. "You really must miss your family."

"Yeah I do," he answered before going silent. He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer. After a while he spoke again, saying, "You never asked me what the third memory was."

My eyes were closed, and I was listening to the sound of his breathing. His embrace filled me with a beautiful warmth, one I didn't want to escape. "Okay, what is it?" I mumbled against his chest.

"Snow," he answered simply.

"Hmm?"

"Well, the first snow of the season began the week of the probending tournament. That was when you kissed me. And I was standing in the snow when you said that you loved me."

I moved my head back to look into his eyes. "Really? You thought of me?"

He met my eyes with his. "Of course I did." He then leaned in and gave me a chaste kiss on my lips. I rested my head back on his chest and stared off past the cliff.

"You know what?" he suddenly asked.

"What?"

"It worked. I am warm."

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><p>I hope y'all liked it! Because I am still new to how this site works, I am still trying to figure out how the spacing of paragraphs works. When it comes to technology, I am a very slow learner. I hope to continue this whenever I can, but with my schedule so hectic, it might be quite a challenge. Until then, stay flamin'!<p> 


	3. Seeing Red

**Here is chapter 3! I thank all of y'all for reading/reviewing. It really means a lot to me. I admit this story has been typed for a bit, but I haven't gotten around to updating it until now. With summer projects catching up to me (I am sooo lazy), I have been focusing on them instead. Plus I just got my license, so that took some time. With school starting, it will be a challenge to update this, but I will do my best to continue writing.**

**I didn't want to go beyond canon, but this is a bit of a stretch. Also this chapter is very dark compared to the others. Plus, it is told from Mako's point of view. At SDCC it was announced that Mako will be a cop next season, so I thought about how I could use that in the story. I also have no idea how a real police force works, so I made it how I thought it was. I have had this idea for a bit, so I hope you enjoy!**

**I do not own Avatar or Korra.**

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><p>Mako's POV <p>

Seeing Red 

It was getting late, the sky already beginning its losing fight with the night. I sat in a chair at the police station drinking a cup of coffee. My eyelids would shut from time to time, but the constant reminder of possible crimes kept alerting me to the present. Sometimes I could relax, even take a small nap, but when it grew dark, the possible danger seemed more real. Crime flooded the city at night, and it was times like these I had to be awake and alert. I lowered the mug onto a coaster on the table and allowed my eyes to shut one more time, just for a few seconds.

Through my closed eyes I could see my Korra standing on the edge of the ship, waving goodbye as she sailed with Tenzin's family to the South Pole. I promised her that the rest of the team would come down for a festival she mentioned, but it was still some time away. Her hair was down for once, and the sea breeze would sweep through it, covering her face. Yet through her hair I could still see her bright, blue eyes and her wide, beautiful smile. My memory went back further, and I lived again through our final kiss, when the entire world seemed to disappear as we shared our sacred moment on the port, one of my hands resting on her waist as my other tangled in her hair.

Suddenly the sound of the radio woke me up from my daydream. I stood up with the other officers and listened closely to the dispatcher. "We have a report of a robbery near Central Station, house 198 on the Southside."

"Officer Mako, Officer Li, Central Station now," the chief of our unit called.

"Yes sir!" the two of us shouted, and we ran outside to our bikes. Li, an earthbender, had a year on me of experience. He was kind of hard to agree with, but knew more than I did, and I respected him for that. We both jumped on our motorcycles and took off for the destination.

My mind raced as fast as my vehicle. The location, I couldn't help but notice, was close to where I used to live. The situation didn't help either, and I suddenly flashbacked to that horrible night all those years ago. The screams of my parents filled my ears, and I quickly sped up. The area became too familiar, and I suddenly remembered a shortcut that would take me very close to the location. I shouted this to Li, who shouted that he will take the other route to try to block the thief off. With that I made a sharp right, and continued forward. I closed my eyes for a few moments, and didn't open them till I knew to turn, that way my old home would be far behind me and out of sight.

Then suddenly house 198 crept up to me on the left. I slowed down and leaped off the bike. Silence filled my ears, and I quickly ran to the front and banged the door. "This is the police!" I shouted, and when no response came, I kicked open the door. Fire suddenly erupted in front of me, as well as a plume of smoke, and I staggered back. A man in a black mask appeared, and I quickly shot a burst of flames at him.

"Don't come any closer!" he shouted as I shooed the smoke out of my vision. A scream shouted, and I came face to face with the thief holding what looked to be a woman in her thirties by her neck. Small screams cried, and I saw with horror two young kids hiding under a table in fear.

"Don't move!" the woman shouted to the kids. "Stay where you are!"

"Mom!" the oldest shouted, his arms around what looked to be his younger sister, who was crying hysterically, sobbing something I couldn't understand.

"Shut up and listen to your mother!" the criminal shouted. He produced a flame in one hand and held it close to her face. "None of y'all move, or she's dead too!"

My heart wrenched, and I saw laying on the ground by the stairs the slumped figure of a man. I suddenly understood the girl's cries. "Daddy! Daddy, daddy, daddy…"

I couldn't think. I never expected to see the mirror of my past right in front of my eyes, and when I heard a familiar shout from outside that distracted the thief, I took my chance. I moved my hand to grab his hand off of her neck. Then I shoved him to the ground, shooting a blast of fire at him. Another shout sounded, and Li suddenly burst through the door as I sent one other blast down. "Help them!" I shouted at Li, and he quickly helped the woman up, who grabbed her kids and fled out the door.

"The thief?" Li questioned as he turned back around.

"He is down," I replied. The blood that had been thumping through me like an angry drum began dying down, and I began to breathe regularly. I moved towards the stairs and checked on the father. The ghostly open eyes spoke only of death. "He is dead," I told Li. The thief killed him."

There was a pause. "They are both dead, Mako." I stood up and turned around. The criminal lay on the ground with deep gashes on his neck, blood dripping out at a rapid pace. Burn marks stretch from his chin all the way down to his chest, with his shirt singed in many places. My insides turned to ice, and I quickly kneeled to the floor in astonishment.

My breathed hitched. "I… I killed him," I whispered. My hands went to my face as I realized what I had done. A man who once was alive and breathing now was nothing more than a corpse. My body began to shake as the realization settled in.

"It is part of the job, Mako. You helped save this family. That man rests in hell now, one less to worry about," Li said, offering me a hand and helping me stand. "I called others in to help the family. Someone else is coming to take the bodies away." Bodies. The word seemed to echo in my head. Sure enough sirens began to sound, and I found myself stepping out to see the family. The mother stood in the streets sobbing as her children clutched the skirt of her dress, tears streaming down their eyes.

The daughter looked up at me, and in a quiet voice asked, "Is daddy alright?" I drew in a breath, and knelt down to look into her eyes.

"He is with the spirits, child," I whispered. She nodded, then continued to cry. A couple of ambulances came and took the father and thief away. A police car came to take the family to the hospital with the father. Officers began to assess the crime scene, and I filled them in with what had happened. Eventually I was given the clear, and I hopped on my motorcycle and drove back to the headquarters.

Death seemed to follow me everywhere. The children now had no father, just like me. My thoughts drifted to Asami who lost her mother. All the orphans running through the streets had a story. Now I too had become a character. Do I call myself a killer? The thought plagued me until I was cleaned and resting in my bed. I glanced up at the ceiling, and all I could see was red. My mind drifted to Korra again, and I found myself drifting to sleep with death invading my dreams.

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><p><strong>The End! Please review if you have the time! And thanks again!<strong>

**Also, I have a cliche idea to write a story about the Avatar after Korra, set in modern times. Should I attempt this? And thanks!**


	4. Birthday

Holy Batman, I am back! So life has been absolutely stressful, and I have barely written anything. But enough of my personal life. The next chapter is here! this takes place before the last chapter, so Mako isn't a cop yet. This also breaks the chain of stories surrounding the theme of fire. But oh well. Please enjoy!

I do not own Avatar or Korra... *sniff*

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><p>The two lovers made their way down the streets of a Republic City hand in hand, their arms swinging back and forth as they enjoyed the first warm day in a long time. Occasionally they would get looks from people passing by, but they never minded, keeping their relationship within a frame that excluded everybody else. All they career about was their destination, if they had one, and each other. On this particular day, the two were headed to a small lunch venue near the park. It served small Earth Kingdom cuisine, and both Korra and Mako wanted something a little different. They were served their drinks and meals, then left alone to chat about the day. Both were so observed in each other's conversation that they barely noticed the time slipping by. It was after an hour that they realized how long they were sitting there, and they quickly paid and headed back to Air Temple Island.<p>

"I wish everyday could be like this," Korra said as they began walking down the street towards the pier. "It's nice and warm, not to mention not having any airbending training to do."

Mako smiled. "Today was perfect. Perfect days are coming. Today was perfect, tomorrow will be perfect, and the day after tomorrow will be especially perfect."

Korra groaned. "My birthday. Please tell me you aren't doing anything grand. I want something simple."

"Simple?" he responded in a jokingly shocked manner. "How could anything be simple for the Avatar's 18th birthday? Oh no, it has to be grand."

"Mako!" she groaned, punching his shoulder lightly. He responded by looping his arm around her waist.

"Just wait, you will enjoy it, I promise." Korra rested her head on his shoulders, and the two of them walked home in loving silence.

Dinner was a regular episode. It started with a quiet prayer, and ended with Meelo pulling Ikki's hair which caused her to blast wind that caused most of the food to fly from everyone's plates. As the main group of four hurried out of the dining room to avoid Tenzin's yells, the phone in the kitchen began to ring. Korra stepped towards it to answer the call, but Pema appeared out of nowhere and picked it up.

"Not for you, dear." She told Korra before responding to the call with low whispers. Korra crossed her arms as she heard Mako, Bolin, and Asami snicker behind her. In response, Korra sent a blast of air in their direction and left the kitchen.

"What is it Korra?" Asami asked as the rest followed the Avatar out of the house.

"I don't want a big party," she responded. "I want something simple."

"Hey," Bolin called to her. "Big party or small, we are putting a lot of work into this, give us a break."

"Bo is right. It will be fine, Korra."

Korra shrugged. "Fine," she said, and then headed back into the building. That night when most people were asleep, Korra snuck out of her bedroom and made her way to Mako's window. She tapped on it 4 times, and in response he opened it.

"Is everything alright?" he asked as he stepped out. She sighed, then guided him up to the roof. They sat down and gazed at the moon for a bit before she continued. "I was hoping that I could just spend time with you for my birthday. Like dinner or something. Or maybe see a movie or play."

He chucked, then wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer. "I don't see why we can't do both. Don't worry, I have something special planned. You trust me, right?" She nodded, and he leaned over to kiss her forehead. "I love you," he whispered.

Korra nuzzled her head against his chest. "I love you too."

The next day didn't do anything to improve Korra's mood. Tenzin had a new airbending routine for her, and everybody else except and Meelo had left the island for last minute 'errands.' The inevitable party loomed over the Avatar's head as she had to learn the game Airball. Standing on a skinny platform, she had to score points by bending a small metal object to send it bouncing between several different wooden pegs in order to send it through the goal on the other side. The main problem was that Meelo, her opponent, excelled at the game. Eventually, when he was beating her 12-1 (she could swear he let that point go on purpose) she called it quits and marched into the house. Part of her wanted to escape the island to see what the others were doing, but she realized she didn't care anymore. She found a book lying around, probably Jinora's, and sat down to read it. After getting absorbed enough that she couldn't put it down, time slipped away and before she knew it, the sun had begun to set.

The door opened suddenly, and the sound of Bolin's voice rang though the house singing, "We are home!"

Korra set the book down while keeping a mental note of the page numbers she left off. "About time. What took you so long?"

"Nothing," responded Pema, who had just come in with a crying Rohan in her arms.

"I know you are throwing me a party, Pema," Korra said as she stood up. "You don't have to keep it a secret."

"Yes I do," she said rather quickly, and then left in quite a hurry, leaving Korra shaking her head.

The next morning arrived sooner than it should. As Korra opened her eyes, she jumped to see an excited Ikki at the foot of her bed jumping up and down with excitement.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she kept exclaiming. In response, Korra grabbed the pillow from the bed and threw it at the child. Korra quickly jumped out of bed and pushed the now complaining girl out of her room and locked the door. She then quickly got dressed and sneaked out through her window, using airbending to unlock her door so that she could get in later. Problem was that Jinora was outside waiting for her.

"We had a feeling you would do that," she responded calmly. "Come on, everybody is waiting on you." Korra begrudgingly followed her back into the building.

Everybody was waiting on her. Choruses of happy birthday rang as soon as she entered the door, and immediately they showered her with gifts. Bolin gave her a coupon to her favorite water tribe restaurant. Tenzin and Pema gave her books on the history of airbending, as well as new boots. Asami went out of her way to find Korra a new dress. It was long and light blue, which sparkles gleaming at the bottom of the skirt.

"I want you to wear this tonight," Asami told her as Korra held it up to her.

"Wear it for what?" Korra asked.

"You will see." Korra groaned.

The airbending children had each picked out their own gifts. Ikki gave her a necklace, Jinora gave her a book, and Meelo managed to draw her a picture. Korra gazed at the crayon mess on the sheet of paper in puzzlement. "I love it, Meelo," she told him. "But what-"

"It is a satomobile," Pema answered quickly.

"Ah." When Mako walked up to her with empty hands, she raised an eyebrow at him.

"You will get your gift later," he whispered with a wink, which shot color to her cheeks. After that, Pema announced for everybody to get dressed formally, and with that they split. Korra went to her bedroom with her new dress and got dressed. To her surprise, Asami picked very well. It flowed straight down to her feet, the sparkles shining with each step she took. It left most of her back exposed, with the sleeves falling loose on the sides of her arms. It fit perfectly. Just as she began to ponder what shoes she was going to wear, a knock came from the door.

"Korra? It's Asami, can I come in?" Before Korra had answered, the door opened and in came Miss Sato holding a bag and pair of shoes. "These are for you too. Oh, you look so pretty! Does it fit good?"

"It fits great. Thank you so much." Asami handed her the shoes and began to go through her bag. "There is nothing wrong with a big of makeup for tonight," she said as she pulled a few bottles and a hairbrush.

"Asami..."

"Shush. Just let me help you." She sat Korra down and began to work on her face. After what seemed like forever for the Avatar, Asami announced she was finished, and Korra turned to look into the mirror. To her surprise, she looked the same, yet different at the same time. Her face was still there with the same features. But there was something else too. Her eyes seemed to shine more, the blue tints sparkling. Her lips had an extra color, and they seemed so natural as she smiled. Her hair was down, and it hung over her right shoulder in curls.

"Thanks Asami," she said.

Asami beamed. "What are friends for? Now I have to get ready as well. See you soon!" She then left the room, closing the door behind her. Korra put the shoes on, which were a matching blue, and stood on her bed for a full view of herself in the mirror. All she could think of was how Mako would react. And with that, she jumped down and headed out of her room. Most people were not ready yet, so she begged Jinora for the book she had been reading previously. She was almost done when the bending brothers came into the main room. Both were dressed in nice, dark suits. Mako had a red collar on his, and Nolin a green one. But all she could focus on was Mako. The dark color seemed to add height to him. The red brought out the fire in his eyes, which were fixated on her. From his expression she could tell he was amazed. He walked up to her, grabbed her hand, and twirled her around.

"You look beautiful," he said.

She blushed. "You look amazing too." Pema and Asami then came into the room and announced that it was time to go. Asami, who was wearing a scarlet dress, smiled as Mako took Korra's arm and lead her outside. The boat ride was quiet, but the city was filled with its noise. They took a tram to the council building, which was surrounded by people trying to get in.

"The ballroom?" Korra asked as they got off at the stop.

"Yep," Bolin answered. Tenzin led them inside to the ballroom, and when they arrived, Korra found herself in disbelief. The grand room was full of people. A jazz band was situated in the corner, and the guests were dancing to it, creating an exciting air. Lanterns that emitted a blue glow stood at the walls, creating a serene atmosphere that reminded her of home. And more importantly, among the guests stood her parents.

"Mom! Dad!" she called as she ran to them, jumping into their arms for a hug.

"Happy birthday!" they told her, returning the hug. "How could you think we would miss your birthday?" her father teased. Korra smiled, and suddenly Bolin's voice rang over the room from a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please turn your attention towards the door! It is time to wish a very happy birthday to the one and only Avatar Korra!"

Korra groaned, but quickly put on a smile and welcomed the crowd in front of her. She shook hands and heard their greetings. She was overcome with people, and was trying to find Mako amongst the crowd, but before she could sneak off, there was another person she had to shake hands with or bow to. After an hour or so, the music turned from an upbeat tune to a slow jazz number. It was in this moment that a familiar hand fell upon her shoulder, and as she turned around, her boyfriend brought his arms around her for a dance.

"I have been looking for you for forever," she told him as she pulled him closer.

"You needed time with your guests," he answered as they moved to the beat. Once again people had their eyes on them, but they didn't care. All that mattered was each other and the music that lead their steps.

"Is this the gift?" she asked.

"Part of it." The music came to an end, and the sound of applause broke them out of their bubble. As the music picked up again, he held her hand and, smiling, led her through the crowd towards the door. The temperature dropped immediately when they stepped outside. The sounds of the city night life swarmed around them, and Korra realized this must be the other part to her present. They walked around and entered the council building through another door, then headed up a long flight of stairs. When they reached the top, Mako whispered, "Close your eyes." She did so, and Mako need the door that led to the roof. The cool air from outside rush in and sent a shiver down her spine. "Ok, you can open them, he said.

She obeyed, and saw in amazement a small table with a red tablecloth, an unlit candle, and a vase with as lily in it. Two empty plates rested on top, with chopsticks sitting next to them. Two chairs were pushed underneath, and a picnic basket sat on one of them. Mako guided her to her seat, then lit the candle with his thumb.

"Mako, this is amazing," she said as he placed the picnic basket on the table.

"I just wanted today to be perfect," he replied, pulling out sandwiches and two bowls of rice. He handed one of the sandwiches to her, then began to warm of the rice with his hands.

"It's more than perfect. It's the best thing ever." She responded. Mako set down her rice in front of her, then gave her a quick kiss before taking his seat. The two of them ate their meal in silence. It was not an awkward quiet, but one filled with longing that seemed to drift over the couple. Occasional glances at each other sent Korra's heart a flutter. When they finished, Mako pulled one more thing from the basket: a radio.

"I want a private dance for once," he said as he flipped through the channels before finding a soft song. He then took Korra in his arms and led the dance.

"Happy birthday," he whispered as they moved.

"Thanks," she replied with a kiss. She rested her head against his shoulder, and they danced. No one was watching, and nothing was interrupting them. For once they were alone, and even as the song ended, the two never stopped. All that mattered was each other and their love.

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><p>Thanks so much for reading! Please review if you have the time!<p> 


	5. The End

Okay, so it is obvious that I do not have the time to dedicate myself to this story, and for all of you who have read this, I am truly sorry. Since I last updated the story I have started college, and life turned so busy. I've tried writing more chapters, but I didn't publish them because I felt like they weren't good enough. So here I present the last chapter. It takes place after season 2, so spoiler warning. I hope you enjoy!

I don't own Avatar or Korra

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><p>The End<p>

It felt right, I suppose. I should be happy. Well, hopefully somebody was happy.

It had only been a couple of days since the breakup. It was really awkward at first. Our gazes would meet for a split second. I would read his eyes, and would find only emptiness. I had hoped there would be a spark of something, like happiness. But in those ambers eyes stood a reflection of my own self, and I looked away in shame. Perhaps I was wrong, and life flowed through him, but I knew those eyes well. I had done this.

I had hoped that perhaps he would go back to Asami, but I had woken up one night to whispers from outside my window to find out that he wasn't ready for a relationship. The silence from that conversation killed me, with my hammering heart counting the seconds that passed. But Asami agreed that it was for the best, and as she walked past my door on her way to her room I heard a sob, and my guilt kept me awake for another hour before sleep took me. I realized as I woke up the next morning that I didn't want them together. I didn't want us together either. What did that mean? I felt selfish. That day dragged on forever. I had the misfortune to run into Asami on my way to lunch. I tried to apologize for something, I don't even remember what for specifically. She waved her hand like it was nothing, but I could see it in her eyes just like Mako's. An emptiness had taken her as well.

"We are still team Avatar," Bolin had said to me the next night. I had decided that I should get my emotions out, and talking to him felt like the right thing to do.

"I don't feel anything, Bolin," I told him. "And I feel like it's tearing away at our group."

"Nonsense!" he exclaimed. "I mean, we had that one little relationship problem thing in the past, and look how things have turned out. It will eventually blow over."

I nodded, but something seemed to be weighing me down. "It's just-" I started, but then I felt the tears welling up. I shook my head, then stood up and walked away from my friend. "I thought we were meant to be together," I whispered to myself.

The group was broken. Mako was working towards a promotion at work. After working on the movers Bolin was trying to figure out whether or not he should continue acting. Asami had her business stuff of course. And with my decision to keep the spirit portals open, I found myself in several meetings to discuss whether or not it was the right thing to do. Like before our jobs and lives were pulling us apart even more. While I wished it could be the way it had been before, I also welcomed the distance. However, it had erupted everywhere, not just between my friends. My father had taken up his duty to rule the Water Tribe, and apart from meetings, I never saw him. I kept my distance from my mother as well, which wasn't normal for me, and she saw that. I didn't know whether I should go to her for help or to not bother her with my troubles. I chose the latter, and while I felt that it was the better decision, it kept me up each night.

I thought I was dead inside, that there was no fire to drive me emotionally. I didn't mean to stumble upon him in the hallway the other day, but I did, and we just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say. I took my chance, moved in quickly, and kissed him. It was too quick for him to react, and already I had turned and began walking away from him. With each step I felt it again, that small flame that had been dormant for so long, slowly fluttering. It didn't matter what I felt, or what he thought. I was still alive, and somehow that kiss reminded me. Maybe one day we will find each other in that way again, and will feel each other burn against another's skin, but that flame has died. A new fire has started, and I found myself smiling as I stepped outside and into the blazing sun.

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><p>For any confusion it might have brought, I tried to convey how lost romance should never hold a person back. Korra doesn't need Mako, at least not at the moment. With that in mind, Korra knows she can feel alive again. Thanks to all my readers!<p> 


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